Crystal City Potomac Yard Transitway

Published January 26, 2023 at 2:30PM

Signs of construction of new bus stops along Columbia Pike (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Arlington County is applying for regional funding to run buses every six minutes between Fairfax County and Amazon’s second headquarters in Pentagon City during peak hours.

The Arlington County Board on Saturday authorized staff to apply for up to $8 million in Northern Virginia Transportation Commission funding. Funding would offset the operating costs associated with running 10 buses per hour during peak times for two years along a new Metrobus route dubbed the 16M, connecting the Skyline complex in the Bailey’s Crossroads area of Fairfax County down Columbia Pike, to Pentagon City and Crystal City.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published June 7, 2022 at 7:30AM | Updated October 17, 2022 at 11:25AM

"DMV" painted in Ukrainian colors in Arlington Ridge (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Rent Keeps Going Up — “Arlington’s median apartment-rental rate remains highest in the metropolitan area and has fully rebounded from dropoffs during the early part of COVID, according to new data. With a median rental rate of $1,999 for a one-bedroom unit and $2,391 for two bedrooms in May, Arlington’s average rental… is now up just under 13 percent year-over-year.” [Sun Gazette]

Arlington Making Much Multifamily — From a spokesperson, about a new set of national rankings: “Multi-family units authorized in Arlington increased by 1,095.8% — a total addition of 2,838 units — between 2020 and 2021. Out of all midsize cities, Arlington experienced the 5th largest increase in multi-family home construction.” [Construction Coverage]

News

Ground officially breaks on $29 million Transitway extension to Pentagon City

By Matt Blitz

Published May 10, 2022 at 9:45AM | Updated May 10, 2022 at 4:09PM

Ground breaking ceremony for Transitway extension to Pentagon City (staff photo by Matt Blitz)

Ground was officially broken yesterday morning on the first phase of the $29 million extension of the Crystal City-Potomac Yard Transitway.

At a brief ceremony on Monday (May 9) near the site of a future Crystal City bus station, at the intersection of 12th Street S. and Long Bridge Drive, local officials gathered for remarks and photos with golden shovels to christen the first phase of the long-planned transit project.

News

Construction starting on the Transitway extension to Pentagon City

By Matt Blitz

Published April 6, 2022 at 2:30PM

Metroway buses for the Crystal City-Potomac Yard Transitway (Photo via Arlington County)

Work is kicking off this week on an extension to the Crystal City-Potomac Yard transitway.

The project will eventually extend a dedicated corridor for rapid bus transit to Amazon’s HQ2 and the Pentagon City Metro station. Construction is now getting underway on the first segment of the extension.

News

Will the Metroway remain a good investment after the pandemic?

By Matt Blitz

Published December 6, 2021 at 10:00AM

A Metroway bus at the Transitway bus stop at 27th Street S. and Crystal Drive (staff photo by Matt Blitz

Many are predicting that the pandemic will drastically affect how we commute and use public transportation for the foreseeable future.

How that will impact long-term transportation projects, like the Metroway bus rapid transit line and the Crystal City-Potomac Yard Transitway extension to Pentagon City, is a puzzle that local officials are trying to put together.

News

Despite low ridership, supporters say Transitway is a wise investment in the future

By Matt Blitz

Published December 2, 2021 at 12:30PM

Metroway buses for the Crystal City-Potomac Yard Transitway (Photo via Arlington County)

A decade ago, when Arlington County was in the midst of planning the Crystal City Potomac Yard Transitway for the future Metroway bus rapid transit line, the Route 1 corridor looked a lot different.

Development was still ongoing in the corridor, which encompasses Pentagon City and Crystal City, and Amazon was still years away from selecting the area for its HQ2.

News

Even as Transitway moves forward, cars are driving backwards

By Matt Blitz

Published December 1, 2021 at 10:00AM

Red markings and "do not enter" signs, indicating bus-only lanes at 27th Street S. and Crystal Drive (staff photo by Matt Blitz)

Even as officials and advocates continue to hail the Crystal City-Potomac Yard Transitway as forward-thinking, there’ve been literal instances of backwards driving.

ARLnow has received reports of cars entering the Transitway’s bus lanes, often even driving the wrong direction in the lanes, which parallel Crystal Drive for about a mile. It seems to mostly stem from confusion over the roadway configuration.

News

Seven years since debut, how’s the region’s first rapid bus transit system faring?

By Matt Blitz

Published November 29, 2021 at 2:00PM | Updated November 29, 2021 at 2:36PM

A Metroway bus (Staff photo)

When Metroway, the region’s first rapid bus transit line, launched in 2014 it was hailed as the future.

Dedicated lanes, more frequent service, covered stations, and bigger, newer buses along a 4.5-mile route connecting Arlington and Alexandria would boost bus ridership in sections of both jurisdictions that were rapidly developing.

News

Bus Changes Proposed for Crystal Drive, But Some Transit Advocates Are Not On Board

By Jo DeVoe

Published September 2, 2021 at 1:30PM

Crystal Drive/12th Street S. is the site of some potential transit changes (staff photo)

A dedicated bus lane and new bus stops are set to come for Crystal Drive and 12th Street S. as part of an expansion of the Crystal City/Potomac Yard Transitway to Pentagon City.

But progress on the project has elicited frustration from some local transit advocates, residents and community leaders.

Traffic

New Traffic Changes Take Effect in Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

Published October 4, 2019 at 3:30PM

A pair of roads on the southern end of Crystal City opened to two-way traffic earlier today.

The new traffic pattern comes after several months of construction to facilitate the change. It’s the third phase in a multi-year process of opening former one-way streets in Crystal City to two-way traffic, through construction and and roadway restriping.

Traffic

Intersection Improvements Proposed for Chaotic Glebe Road Intersection

By Vernon Miles

Published May 15, 2019 at 9:05AM | Updated May 15, 2019 at 9:32AM

Glebe Road intersection planned for improvements (photo via Google Maps)

(Updated at 9:30 a.m.) Arlington County is considering a series of transportation improvements, including a fix to the complicated West and South Glebe Road intersection.

At Saturday’s County Board meeting the Board scheduled to vote on the approval of a series of grant requests for up to six projects with a total funding of up to $5.4 million.